Sri Lanka vs India 2017: 2nd ODI, 5 talking points
It was all routine stuff until Akila Dananjaya rewound the clock to 2008 where Ajantha Mendis had bamboozled India in an Asia Cup match. The new mystery spinner spun a web around the Indian middle-order with his googlies and took a five-wicket haul at the speed of light as India, cruising at one stage at 109/0, found themselves 121/6 and then 131/7.
MS Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar hung around as Upul Tharanga adamantly refused to give Akila Dananjaya his last two overs until India had closed in on victory. Bhuvneshwar finished with a fine half-century while Dhoni remained unbeaten on 45 as India romped home by three wickets.
Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah helped India reduce Sri Lanka to 236 despite the hosts getting off to a good start. Although Milinda Siriwardana and Chamara Kapugedara resurrected the innings in bits, it never proved to be enough.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 236/8 (Siriwardana 58, Bumrah 4/43) lost to India 237/7 (Rohit 54, Bhuvneshwar 53, Dananjaya 6/54)
Take a glance at the talking points from this rare exciting encounter at Pallekele.
#5 Bhuvneshwar-Dhoni compile match turning stand
The unexpected came to an end all too soon as MS Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, donning the finisher role, took India home with a century partnership with all odds stacked against them. Dananjaya had struck six times for Sri Lanka to reduce India to 131/7 and it looked like there was no way back from it.
The Dhoni of old was due a big one and it looked like he was taking India to another photo finish when Bhuvneshwar Kumar took over, slammed a half-century of the highest quality and took India home with the kind of ease and composure Indians are used to seeing only from Dhoni.